"Again, I haven't talked to Dick," Tomlin told reporters. "I'm not going to get to all of that. For the many reasons I've already outlined."

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted the contrast in Tomlin's response after the coach once laughed off the idea of LeBeau retiring in a previous postseason press conference.

Pittsburgh's typically top-five-level defense has struggled in recent years. The Steelers finished as the No. 18 unit this season after posting the 13th-ranked outfit in 2013.

Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette noted that LeBeau was "unusually testy" when asked by reporters last month if he wanted to return to the team he's served with since 2004.

"The only thing that we can talk about here is our football team and getting ready for a football game," LeBeau said before Pittsburgh's Week 14 bout with the Bengals. "I don't give it any thought. I haven't given it any thought in the past 10 years that we talked about it. It's something that's to be decided down the road. It's not the topic of any conversation right now. We're in a pennant fight."

Tomlin appears safe, but the vibe around LeBeau is entirely different. We wouldn't be shocked to see Pittsburgh make a move here, even toward a shift in responsibilities that would keep the trusted lieutenant around as a consultant.